EXCLUSIVE: A “no holds barred” meeting with Governor Rochas Okorocha

Excerpts from a no holds barred meeting with His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. In this briefing, the Governor speaks on the challenges of his Administration and how he intends to work towards restoring the glory of the State. He opens up on why he deemed it necessary to revoke the 10,000 jobs and his vision for the State. This is Governor Okorocha like we have never seen or heard before. Please take out time and read through to the end.

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I want to intimate you with the activities of my administration and what I might consider as the journey so far.

You may recall that on the 29th of May, 2011, I was sworn in as the Executive Governor of Imo State, after what I might consider a controversial turbulent election, which eventually demonstrated the popular view of the people of Imo State, on whose mandate I hereby speak.

My election was a unique one that attracted different shades of opinion and was brought to the knowledge of every democrat in the world because of the peculiar nature of that particular election. But having won the election and sworn-in, after the supplementary election of April 26, 2011 governorship election, it became obvious that Imo people was full of expectations and wanted to see what next: How would this man that we have all toyed and suffered for in a democratic election, have for us, and that became a major challenge.Settling down in the office on the 29th May, 2011, I decided to take the bull by the horn. And is precisely what I am going to talk about.

First is to let the people of Imo State understand what I have done so far and what I intend to do. Let me start by thanking Imo people who for one reason or the other best known to them and their judgment, have decided to pour encomium on this administration since its inception. The cooperation I enjoy from the people of Imo State is such that gingers me to do more.

Why the Imo people said that I have performed or done this or that, for me, I still believed that I have not done enough. Because my idea of governance is quite far-far than the normal expectation. But all the same, I still thanked them, but let me say even as I speak, this whole report is not meant to sound bistros neither is it to join the normal praise-singing, or campaign on the activities of government as has been the practice in the country and in most democratic world.

But let me say, this is for me to put the truth in a practical manner, so that those who did not understand will understand better what this government is all about. Above all that, all honour and glory should be given to God Almighty, who gave me the strength, wisdom to have done what I have done so far for which many have claim to be a huge success, but to me, it is just a starting point.

Immediately on assumption of office, I did address Imo people on my intentions and action plan. But shortly after that, the first step I took was to give up N4 billion of my security vote and that demonstrated the nature of this government, which is sacrifice based. Because for us to achieve any meaningful result in this administration, the name of the game should be sacrifice.

So I started by demonstrating the spirit of sacrifice by giving up what most people will call security vote, unaccountable fund, which should be available to any governor and that N4 billion was put in the coffers of Imo State.

Shortly after that, I decided to say that one of my major concerns by nature has been education, so I decided to declare free education in Imo State. This is total comprehensive free education for every child of Imo and those in Imo State.That means that every child has the right to go to school withoutpaying for school fees.

Every child has the rights to go to schoolwithout buying uniform, shoe, or any learning materials. So thegovernment decided to take the responsibility to ensure that every child go to school irrespective of the child family background.

That was a contract I have signed with my creator when I started in Rochas Foundation.

In any position I found myself, I must give free education to give hope to the hopeless as well give future to our children. For me, education is not negotiable, but to most Imo people, it appears impossible task, of course, I suffered some criticism on the issue of free education, and thank God it is now a reality.

The sacrifice I made with my security vote will all be channeled to free education and that we have done which has helped a whole lot.

Still on education, I went to some schools myself and offered myself to teach in some classes as to truly feel the feelings of the children, that learning environment and I saw a horrible situation – that our children go to school on what I can best describe as a local house. That did not go down well with me at all.

In reaction to that, no child again will go to school under such terrible condition in the state, in which many children don’t go to school because of the condition. As long as the school premises is worst than their poor home, no child is easily attracted to go to school, but if we can make the school premises a better place, every child will like to go to school and that prompted the first contract we issued in this administration:- to construct and equip 305 new primary schools of International standard of classroom block each and computer centre and the project is on-going.

Hopeful, within the next 18 months, the 305 building will be completed. And before the end of this administration in four years, we must have completed this school in every community in which every child will study in conducive environment. I take education very seriously and to repeat it in secondary schools, but the challenge is that people are leaving the private schools to the public schools.

Another challenge is the Mission Schools which has gone back to encourage them to retain their education system. The private schools are now in competition with the public school, owing to the improvement in the public schools system since this administration.

Still on education, if you have the best of buildings equipment without the best of teachers, you cannot address the issue of educational challenges.

In that regard, I called all the primary and secondary school teachers in the state, and I educated them through the training-the-teachers programme towards getting all our teachers back to the classrooms, workshops and seminars introduced in order to give them the best for our children before going back to the schools, hoping that Imo State that have being known for being the best in education sector in Nigeria will still retain the number one position.

The only industry that have moved well in Imo State is education and in my own time as governor, my love for education will come to bear more than what we had in the past. Looking at the tertiary institutions, one of our biggest problems is the university.

Imo State University remains the pride of our State. It is an institution that has produced so many figures, but unfortunately, still on a temporary site. The University appears to be a girls’ secondary school and there seems to be no infrastructural development in that place. The environment does not look like that of a University. That gives me a big concern. But before then, there were controversies as to the name of the school. It took my political will to say tothem that the school should be changed to Evan Enwerem University to Imo State University. So that we don’t politicize d the issue of that University, because the university tends to have a bigger name and a better image as Imo State University than been named after an individual.

We also observed that after a long strike, the lecturers appears to have lost control and grip of the students and so there was the need to effect some changes to restore the confidence of parents and the glory of the school by changing the Vice Chancellor which bought in Prof. B.E.B. Nwoke as the Acting Vice Chancellor of Imo State University.

Something to curtail with, it was the students school fees. I cancelled the issue of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150,000) school fees by the senate of the institution, and brought the school fees back to Thirty Thousand Naira, (N30,000) which was a welcome development.

We have the issue of subvention. Before we came into office, Imo State University was receiving Seven Million Naira (N7,000,000) monthly subvention. I increased it from seven to One Hundred Million (N100,000,000) monthly subvention for the past 5 – 6 months or thereabouts, Imo State University have been receiving one hundred million naira (N100,000,000) subvention from the state government as against the seven million before with only Thirty Thousand Naira paid as school fees by the students.

The University can no longer continue to stay in the temporary site, this coming year (2012) we shall do all we can to relocate the University to a permanent site with a view to construction of Imo State University, which is billed to be located between Ideato North and Ideato South local government Areas to provide a better learning environment associated with a University because of its metropolitan location and to give it a befitting learning environment before the end of this administration.

I visited many of the higher Institutions. One of them is the Imo State Polytechnic, where I saw the school in a sorry state and wonder why the school was considered a higher learning institution. There is no hostel at all-what they call hostel can only accommodate few students. The problem of the school has been addressed. The government has awarded a contract of new hostel blocks for boys and girls and all abandoned projects in the institution to be completed as well.

The institution is also paid N42 million subventions monthly which has been increased to N88 million monthly subvention. The issue of confidence and trust was a problem in the institution in which the Rector was changed to clergyman. The Institution, after investigations needs other Two Hundred Million Naira (N200,000,000) to accredit about 17 new courses in the Institution.

All the higher institutions in the state are receiving attention and most of them will be given due attention within the first quarter of 2012.

You may recall that the 10,000 jobs became a major issue in Imo State and frankly, there were no 10,000 jobs anywhere in Imo State. I think my predecessor must have made a statement which the whole state cashed on by saying that he is going to create 10,000 jobs and made a very big mistake by asking the youths to pay N2,000 each, which put the then government on a very bad light and the government as looking for an escape route and since it was towards the end of an administration, he decided to issue 10,000 letters to different people and post them to different ministries, without following due or civil service process and the right vacancy job creation before going into recruitment. We have about 15 persons in one office with 2 tables. We have about 500 people posted to governor and deputy governor’s office where they were doing nothing. That was not a job.

It was just like a deceit. It was like solving an immediate problem and creating a danger for tomorrow. I suspended the 10,000 jobs for the purpose of creating the necessary 10,000 jobs. We have created 2,000 jobs for teachers. I realized that we don’t have a enough teachers in Imo State, we fished out 2,000 plus of teachers out of the 10,000 jobs beneficiaries and returned them to the schools.

The second thing we did was on some of the Mbakwe’s abandoned projects. One of them is the Adapalm which the present government has renamed “Imo Palm Plantation” It was very magical. I want to announce to Imo people that Adapalm which was at the state of decay for 30 years has not generated any money to the coffers of the state government, but within 6 months of this administration, Adapalm has generated N3.2 billion to Imo government under partnership and not in any way selling Adapalm. I brought in an Irish Company “Roche Group” who are now managing Adapalm for the period of 15 years and has to give us an upfront payment of N3.2 billion. That tells you the amount of waste that has been going on there in the past years.

The company is to employ about 2,500 workers of Imo indigenes back to Adapalm. The recruitment is on-going. Most of the 10,000 workers we have are semi-skilled or non skilled workers.

The issue of white collar jobs has become an issue among our graduates as they always want jobs without practical’s.That is why we set up Institute of Advanced Professional Studies which is under construction. It is a finishing and professional school.

We have signed MOU with various World International Institutions who are coming to train youths, especially in the areas of oil and gas, road engineers among others with some of them to be sent to India, Lebanon, China for more training. Some of the trainings our graduates receive are more of theory without practical’s and account for massive unemployment in the state and country.

A well certificate graduate is to be chased by jobs and not him looking for job. We want to change that, which I called employment bondage in Imo State. The first intake of the school will be 10,000 students and they will be professionally trained in various areas. The Institution will be affiliated with Imo State University. The Institute of Advanced Professional studies is one of the greatest achievements of this government by my own standing. That will make more Imo people become an employers of labour.

We have also competed signing of MOU, hopeful it will take off soon. We are hoping to generate about N3.5 billion from Avutu poultry from our partners in America. We have two strong contenders. One from America, another from Thailand, we are looking for the best deal.

Within the first quarter of this year (2012) we hope that Avutu poultry will come to full life. That is a huge industry in Imo State that has been allowed to rout. We are assuring Imo people that Avutu Poultry will soon come to life and will take up to 2,000 – 3,000 workers from Imo State when completely revived. You can see that the issue of 10,000 jobs is gradually been addressed. My idea within my own time, is to create not less than 50,000 jobs opportunities for Imo people. You have to create the job before employing somebody.

We also plan to bring back some of the abandoned projects of Chief Sam Mbakwe, whom I consider as a great leader and great governor. Another one is that shoe factory which was abandoned due to a debt been owed for some kind of agreement signed that have now mortgaged the entire state to the tone of N627 million been owed by Imo State government on the same shoe factory.

The issue of the factory has been resolved and we have also given them a contract to produce the first one million pears of shoes for the school children as well as school badges. With that, the firm will start employing people from the state.

The arrangement to revive Nsu ties factory has been concluded. Any moment from the second quarter of next year (2012) our investors will come to take over the factory on partnership basis. We also try to encourage them by assisting in securing their visa, accommodation transportation and offices, which has accounts for more foreigners into Imo recently. It has really worked for us. I have also good news for the clay factory in Okigwe. They will soon come to life in short time.

The question is, am I going to stop where Mbakwe stopped by just mere reviving Mbakwe’s abandoned projects? I am making sure that all the legacies of Mbakwe come alive.

In addition to that, the government has a target to establish ten new industries within the life time of this administration. Most of these industries are going to be food processing and agricultural processing industries towards creating jobs opportunities for our teeming unemployed people of the state.

On execution of projects, this administration on assumption of office, saw what I can best described as the biggest challenge to the government is how to reduce current and increase capital, that would not go down with people. Of course you know that on assumption of office, the first name I was given is that I have “Aka gum” and some applauded it. I am not stingy. If I am, I would not have trained over 5,000 children who have no parents. I just want to save for tomorrow for our children’s future. I have locked up all the leakage ways of government funds, especially that, that has to do with comfort that has no relevance to the development of the state.

I have stopped FPOs. Where somebody will write an FPO that he has supplied a product that is not up to N5 million and can be paid in the ministry without the knowledge of the governor. I say all FPOs must pass through the governor. And there turn around vouchers that has been paid for years surfacing after 5 years in which over N100 million disappeared through that means. I was mad about that, Ieven wanted to demote some people so that everybody will sit up. That is one of the biggest success we have recorded.

What had happened in the past appears that Imo State does not have money. Every state government has money. Imo State gets N4 billion spent about N2.0 billion on salary and left with N1.0 billion or less. That money is enough money. I locked all the taps. I said any project, especially the stationeries that cost N1 billion within 1 month, has to stop. If you can’t write, then forget it.

In government House, we had an issue every time the issue of diesel and maintenance sometimes cost N200 – N300 million. So there was a month, all the expenses in Government House was N833 million for one month.

When I came into government, my first expense was N54 million for one month and heaven did not fall. I then know is possible to save this money.

We have the issue of cleaning of the city which was costing N60 million and I reduced it to N26 million a the city remain clean. I had the issue of reducing the cost for fuelling the generating set from N34 million to N18 million and it is still working.

As I speak to you now, we have signed a contract for somebody who can fuel the generating set, free of charge, change the electric bulbs and use the poles to advertise his company. That is business.

I am begging to introduce business ideas into governance in Imo State. We have been able to save a lot of money for the state. Then to special events. I said to my wife, the first lady that we have being feeding thousands of people as Rochas, why can’t we feed them now. Why most he collect N50 million for feeding of people and other things from government coffers that is not fare and that should not come out of government purse. That should be my responsibility and that is part of the sacrifice we are making. We have save much money for the state.

We have paid the pensioner their outstanding 12 years plus 2 years pension. We insisted that every pensioner be paid with a cheque. Out of the cheque payment, we have saved 13o million naira every month that was going into private pockets. We also went back to civil servants and start paying with cheque and able to save over N50 million.

At the local government level, that is even the worst of it all, we are saving money here and there for which we are using to touch lives of our people positively and as well create meaningful development in Imo State.

So, what Imo people have seen is a product of prudence and sacrifice in action by this government. I hate waste and saw waste in Imo State.

Along the Concord hotel, is the House of Assembly quarters build over 20 years ago. Within one week in office of my administration, I declared that the project be completed. Is even more expensive than building a new house, but we were able to face the challenges and if you go there now, you will be proud to say that this is an edifice much bigger than Concord hotel itself. We hope to commission the project in the 2nd or 3rd quarter of next year (2012). The value of that property has been billions of naira laying waste.

Then I went into Concord hotel that was in a sorry state with odor which was coming from the carpet that has been there for 30 years as well as dirty furniture’s which has not encourage investors who would want to stay in a five star hotel. It became a challenge to me. Now, I went in with the rescue agenda and today I am proud to say that Imo Concord Hotel is coming back again as a full Five Star hotel, which will serve the tourism needs of our people.

But the interesting thing about Concord hotel also is the same business ingenuity which I have introduced in Imo State. Governments are not good business people, but for me, I am a good business man, I therefore appointed a committee to run the hotel hence if you allow the bureaucracy in government it will die, in which about N39 million has been generated for the first time in the history of Imo State, which shows that little discipline has been introduced in governance in Imo State.

On the business side of Concord hotel, we must make a concession of PPP arrangement with the Concord hotel. I have said that anybody coming to knock at the door of the Concord hotel, because that is a monument for Imo State will pay N1 billion entry fee to the coffers of government in addition to N250million every year. Because the agreement the previous government had with Lebanese company who was managing the company was to pay N45 million every year and government is owing the same company now from the records, subject to reconciliation about N450 also gave N450 million to the company for renovation.

So, in total, government is owing the company a sum of N900 million on Concord hotel. This is something one could not understand what is the gain in such transaction, but we have been able to reverse some of this things. I have gotten an offer of N750 million and N200 million a month, but still expecting a higher bargain.

But not just the higher offer, but a good management company since the idea of a good hotel is to attract more investor. Sometimes people come to a city because of the hotel. We believe that going by the renovation on Concord hotel, we are going to make more money from Concord hotel for Imo State government. Beside the Concord hotel is the hero square and that was the driving spirit of this government to celebrate excellence among others.

EDITORS NOTE: We have heard straight from the Governor’s mouth. With all that has been said above, are we convinced that Gov.Okorocha is on the right track or are there some “kuku-kere” red flags that we need to re-visit?

What the people of Imo State need to say to the Governor is not pouring of encomium on his administration nor praise singing. Improving education is all good, but what is the administration doing to absorb the graduates from our educational institutions or are just training them for needs in other states? What's the improvement in infrastructures like Rural Electrification, Potable Water, good Roads, Hospitals, and most importantly JOBS to encourage our young graduates to stay back home and help the economy of Imo State; instead of heading off to Lagos, Abuja, and the North for greener pastures.

It is possible to continue the progress in Imo State, but only with innovative investments in areas like security and helping small farmers grow more food, which is the best way to fight hunger and poverty among the poor.

Owelle granted you are doing a good job so far. Permit me to tell you sir, your silence and inactivity over the ethnic cleansing of Igbos in the North will rob you of your firm when history comes to question the role of Igbo leaders in this trying time. Agbaghara ndu kpa aku onye iro erie ya. Remember that we need people to be alive and free to enjoy your economic and infrastructural achievements in the state. So sir, with the same charism you carry on on your governance please speak out, reach out to the world to see what is happening to us in our own country so that history will be fair to you. Thank you.

i so much believed in this government but our governor has disappointed me by this singuler act of relocating Imo University to his home town, with total disrespect to the original master plan to relocate it to somewhere in ngor okpuala by Dee Sam. At least he should have respected the wish of the same man he proclaimed he respects. I can see that the mentality of my own and my people is still in him. Also, let me inform him now, that whatever he is relocating now to anywhere as a result of selfish interest that has not been in the master plan of imo state is a waste bcos one day it will be reversed sooner or later. i think i ve informed my children about this. thanks.

First let me say welldone to Owelle. May God and the will of Ndimo direct your leadership. May it not be crisis ridden. Having said that the only thing I can say is that there is need to apply integrated development in governance. If you conduct incidence analysis of the speech sector by sector, you will agree with me that it is not yet uhuru. Also popular participation is not entrenched. There is nothing wrong for people to know the costs of projects so as to match cost and quality. There are so many areas Owelle can impact on the lives of Ndimo without expending money. Those areas are yet to be touched. I advise that the budget be placed in the public domain for all Ndimo to access. He should also give the CSOs and other independent professionals willing to provide pro bono services, the opportunity to conduct monitoring and evaluation of projects dispassionately. We are doing a full analysis and will be offering our advise and input in a short while

Hi Editor, Why do you make it difficult to copy this article. It is good piece of information to be stored. Why deny access? What is important is to acknowledge source of information to avoid plagiarism. Please let the knowledge be shared.

Ms Editor, kindly enlighten me on the issue of revocation of shop allocation at old stadium by the Hon. Commisioner,youth and sports. Should I renew my rent for the yr? Some people are rumourin dat d govt wants 2 destroy d shops and use d place for anoda project. Pls guide me with ur quick respons.

I am very happy with the Governor’s work so far but the area of big challenge is coming and that is the LGA election.He should please ensure that there is a level play ground both at the primaries and main election so that the excercise could throw up men of goodwill who reflect the wishes of the masses to help you take your vision and good works to the grassroots.No imposition,pleeeeaaase

Owelle has stolen d entire show, so far, so good, but what about our Hon reps at both d upper and d lower house and those at d state house of assembly. We are not hearin any thing about dem. They canvassed for our vote and we gave it to them so they shd be accountable to us. What are they doing wt their constituency allowance. They could also create a blog for their zones and constituencies to enable them get closer to the people they are representing. My governor, I will score you 89% . Well done.

I think my governor Okorocha darts arround and lies alot. How can he say that 10,000 jobs his predicessor created and gave to Imo graduates were mere letters issued.The jobs were advertised, test conducted by KPMG and oral interview conducted by Civil Service Commission, which other due process does he want? During his campaign he told the press when asked that he will carry them along and even create more jobs if they elect him. Now after these people voted him, he sacked them claiming it never existed, replacing them with over 2,000 aids. He is not to be blame, afterall he is in power. Any thing he blabs his cycophants will praise him. But be rest assured you are already a sworn enemy of 10,000 Imo graduates. They are waiting.

Governor, many people who came back from Christmas from various part of the world are praising you and the ongoing projects your administration is working on. We thank you for your hard work; I hope you will keep it up.

Can you please work more on the following areas:
• Security – do your best to work with police and build more police outposts at strategic hotspots and at our borders with other states. Please help in equipping them by giving them patrol cars, protective gears, sophisticated ammunition, good communication system, etc. You might consider working with wireless companies to make sure these strategic hotspots have good wireless coverage.

• Roads – please work on building alternate roads leading to the state capital especially the road leading to Emekuku/Mbaise.

• Airport – our airport needs better lightings, good toilets/bathrooms and good amenities for travelers. You might consider building a hanger so that people can walk from the airplane down to the airport lounge.

• Healthcare – Please do your best to equip all the healthcare centers and hospitals in Imo. If all the healthcare centers will have an ambulance for emergency situation, your administration will save a lot of lives.

• Water – Please commit the Local Govt. Chairmen to start building pipe borne water in all the towns/villages in their respective LGA.
I wish you the best.

It’s has been same old games up there. Talking too many things do not produce the much needed results. All ends in people in government enriching theirselves and relations. Corruption has been their cup of tea. Saying and not doing means nonsense. Security is important. Creating jobs is another factor. Good roads. Much money voted but little effect seen. That’s a taboo. Local govt chairman sharing national cake. Schools inadequate supply. Everything is in shamble. So much talk without changes makes no sense. People should not deceive us.

Owelle; You have my prayers and that of many others. I too, am concerned that the relocation of Imo State University to Ideato would be seen as selfish on your part but from what I know of you,I would vouche it’s a lot more than selfishness. My spirit accept it peacefully. There are commentries displayed that are simply petite and what’s hard to understand from what the Governor enumerated? It’s said that facts must have verifiable proofs in which case, the Governor listed names and amounts. I have some suggestions for the Governor but that I will do through the approprate channel. Suffice it to say good start and watch out for preditors and ravacious wolves from various quarters including those currently in your administration. There are things mentioned by some that are responsibilities of the Federal Govt. The Governor’s responsibility is not to make noise as one suggested over killings in the North. The Airport is not State matter, though I agree he stands a good stead to gain the ears of the Fed. on those issues. My advise to my fellow Imonites, yes it is IMONITES not IMOLITES, who war with anything and everything Owelle does, there are only few things for any Govt. that isn’t communist or socialist could do. We the people of the state of Imo, should take our entrepreneural spirit and build industries, business, trades so that graduates from the institutions of learning would remain in the state. That’s your and my job. The state govt. can and will help us in matters of visas for our expatriate business partners when they are convinced we have legitimate things to offer. Security is definitely the number one responsibility of any govt. We have a stake in our state. The manager, i.e. the governor has given us the state of corporation and it is good so far. I commit him in my prayers almost on daily basis. If he succeeds, I succeed, you succeed too. Let’s all pray for him and the state. God Bless Imo State and Be Merciful and pour his grace on the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha,In Jesus Name, amen.

It appears he has a big heart for big things. Understandably, as a businessman. However, he discovered the state does not have the resources for all he intends to do at once. Thank God he is a good scraper, so he scraped. I must commend him for that insight into wastes or misappropriations in government. I suspect, this is a hail mary method of administration. If much of the expected income fail without subtantial financial back up, our people mighty not survive paying for all that or better, abandon them as well.
Governor, how about investing more in rural infractructures. Government can not always successfully run all the businesses the state needs. Again, not all subsequent governors are going the have the same acuemen as you. If you doubt me, just remember that part of your cardinal program is revitalizing late Governor Mbakwe’s abandoned projects. Who says history does not repeat itself.
Unleash the potential for everyone in the state no matter where they are located by way of good roads, electricity, water and uncompromising approach to solving security problems of the state. State citizens will stay anywhere and work. The issue of 10,000 employents may not arise to that much in the first place as more people engage in useful business enterprise of their own just where they are, instead of running down to Owerri with CVs. Communities may be able to attract projects of their own according to their desires, investors would not have any reason not to invest in any part of the state. By the way, part of Mbakwe’s abandoned project was the regional water scheme.
As our people engage in activities leading to financial independence, they might have to lend you, government, some money later or even pay their taxes.
Alex Aham-Neze

Governor Okorocha,
The most important and life-saving of the Mbakwe-abandoned projects are the surface water supply schemes for people in Orlu zone not yet started, and the water scheme started but yet to be optimised for people in Okigwe zone. The importance of these projects needs not be emphasized. Meanwhile, we wish the Owelle and his family well for his good wishes for Imolites.

For once a state chief executive admitted in mass media that “Imo has money” this is absolutely impressive and a huge change from what we’ve had over the years with State CEO’s crying “No money, no money”. For this singular honest declaration from Gov Rochas, I am convinced that CHANGE HAS COME TO IMO. It shall be well with Imo and it shall be well with Gov Rochas. Eze (Dublin)

ng, what abians need to do is to pray that God should remove TA Orji from the seat if possible kill him just like Muhamad Gadafi of Lybia. and put a God fearing person in dat seat ok. I tell u in just a week of fasting u guys wil start to c d result of controversy.

ijeoma u r right, i wish u guys from abia state had the type of our governo, ur stupid governor TA Orji made me to loose my admission in ABSU last year only because am from Imo, but i believe dat dis year is my year of divine admission either in FUTO or IMSU my state universities. Well, what’s up daddy rochas m, i got a rumor that u are planning to give or already given free education to indegenes of Imo State University IMSU. I pray that this news to be true in jesus name Amen! And may God keep on guiding u for
us. Amen! Am from Mbieri in Mbaitolu imo state.

Amen my dear friend ADMIN, i wrote jamb n waec last yr, and by God’s grace i made my waec with 4A’s, 3B’s and 2C’s. And i also scored high in jamb and post. But i made d mistake for not putting my state university first. Instead i put UNN first n ABSU second. But nw i put futo first (Electrical and Electronics engineering) then Imsu second (computer science) so if u would like to help me u contact me wit dis numba 07037667339

What the people of Imo State need to say to the Governor is not pouring of encomium on his administration nor praise singing. Improving education is all good, but what is the administration doing to absorb the graduates from our educational institutions or are just training them for needs in other states? What's the improvement in infrastructures like Rural Electrification, Potable Water, good Roads, Hospitals, and most importantly JOBS to encourage our young graduates to stay back home and help the economy of Imo State; instead of heading off to Lagos, Abuja, and the North for greener pastures.

It is possible to continue the progress in Imo State, but only with innovative investments in areas like security and helping small farmers grow more food, which is the best way to fight hunger and poverty among the poor.

dats right my dear okpara, thats a good opinion and advice that surposed to b done by d governor. But for nw, we all know dat he is trying. And we all need to be praying for him for God to give him more wisdom to administer our state well. Thanks

I think Rochas is doing a great work. But let him pay retired primary school pensioners that are owed up ward of 10 months arearrs of pension. It was an over statement for him to say they have been paid,they are crying under heavy pain,as most of them died during the xmas. Its not fair,as a journalist if you go around and ask you will apprieciate the true position of these senior citizens.

I understood that there are destructive Critics in this blog. For your information; this is not a political forum where you come to cast apersion on your enemy.Please, do make a constructive criticism – suggest ideas that will help our governor give us the best. Ears have heard, eyes have seen the good work he is doing in Imo state. It is only an evil person that will see a good thing and abhors it. On the issues mentioned:
JOB OPPORTUNITIES – I have every proof that there was never 10,000 jobs created by the Ohakim govt. My bother was the Commissioner for Infor. and I tell you I was workig closely with him.It was just a mere 10,000 leprosy fingers that he wanted to use to gain cheap popularity in preparation for his campaign. Even the N2,000 he collected from jobless Imolites was an avenue to raise more fund for his election expenses.